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Damn, she was something else. Qui
What had happened between them last night-all last night-had been intense. Fun. Wild. And extremely important.
So of course he wasn't the same man who'd sat at this desk on Friday, because today he was the luckiest son of a bitch on the planet.
Unfortunately, he also was risking the wrath of his commander and needed to find a way he could stay on Audie's case and still come clean with Co
"Here you are, Audie." Sta
"Oh. Sure. Just a sec." Audie shook her head as if she were shaking loose her thoughts and started rooting around in her shoulder bag. She took out handfuls of hair clips, receipts, trash, crumpled cigarettes, and a balled-up pair of panty hose before she found what she was looking for.
"Here it is. Another one. It was in this morning's mail."
She tossed the envelope on Qui
Qui
"Jeesh," Sta
"Well, I'm pretty sure it's not me," Audie said, shrugging and letting her eyes catch Qui
"Tell me why you say that," Qui
"Well, because that's how my mother was. My dad used to call her a human doing, not a human being. She got very pissed off at that."
Qui
She ran a nervous hand through her hair and shrugged. "Sure. What?"
Qui
"Weneed your help," he said softly. "We need to know what's in your gut about these letters, Audie."
She blinked at him and squirmed uncomfortably in her chair.
"Whose voice is that right there?" Qui
She sat perfectly still, but her eyes were wild and going back and forth from Sta
"You can tell me, lassie."
She slammed her eyes shut and let her shoulders sag. After last night, she would tell this man anything.
"I go back and forth with this every day and I still can't figure it out," she whispered, returning her gaze to Qui
Audie frowned and shook her head. "I honestly don't know what to tell you."
Qui
"Fine," she said. "Then let's just say it is Tim Burke, because I hate myself for even thinking it might be Drew, you know?" She shook her head, miserable. "Drew is my brother."
"And you told me yourself that you're strangers to each other," Qui
"OK."
"Can you think of any reason why Drew would want to hurt your mother?"
"What?!" Audie ripped her hands from Qui
"Look. Sit down a minute, all right?" Qui
"But-"
"The other way is to see these incidents separately. Your mother was just a random mugging victim. Your letters are just the sick game of someone who's angry with you. In that scenario, it's more likely Timmy."
"All right."
"But either way, it seems we're right back with the same two suspects, so Stan and I were just talking about getting surveillance on both of them, just to be sure. We'll have eyeballs on them and eyeballs on you-and we'll catch 'em."
Audie looked confused and tired.
"I didn't mean to dump all this on you right now." Qui
She nodded gently.
"Let me walk you to your car." Qui
When they reached the Porsche, Qui
"Hi, Detective." One corner of her plump mouth crooked up in a smile, causing Qui
"Hi, Miss Adams." He took a quick look around the parking lot, then leaned into her for a kiss. With his lips against hers, he asked, "Have you recovered from yesterday?"
She chuckled and pulled back from him. "I'll never recover. Besides, some of it was today anyway. This morning, if you'll recall."
"Mmmm. I do recall." His mouth was back on hers and she felt his arms go around her waist.
"Qui
"Yes?" His warm, soft lips had moved to the side of her neck, the base of her throat, and his fingers were at the top button of her blouse.
"Not here. Are you busy right now? Can you get away?"
His head jerked back and she watched him blink. "Are you asking me what I think you are?"
"Yes. I'm completely depraved."
"Jaysus, that's good to hear." Qui
She nodded.
"Wait. Where the hell is Rick Tinley and why isn't he with you?"
"He is here," Audie said, moving her eyes over her right shoulder. "He's in the police car right over there, waiting for me."
"Oh, great."
She watched Qui